Jim Moran, North Bridge Venture Partners
When Jim's not on a redeye traveling the globe or managing business back at the North Bridge ranch, he's bringing new ideas and perspectives to the Currensee team. Prior to joining North Bridge, Jim was CEO of Covergence Networks, a developer of leading edge software-based session border controllers (SBC's) for delivering VOIP/IP telephony, Unified Communications and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) applications to global 1000 enterprises. Jim's dynamic leadership led Covergence to their May 2009 acquisition by Acme Packet (NASDAQ:APKT). Jim was also a Co-Founder of eDocs, which became the leading provider of self-service and online billing & payment solutions to Fortune 500 companies like GE, American Express and Verizon, and was sold for $145 million in 2005 to Siebel Systems. As if all that wasn't enough, Jim was an early investor, board member and Chief Operating Officer of Virtusa (NASDAQ:VRTU) a leading provider of information technology services worldwide.
Prior to his entrepreneurial career, Jim was Senior Vice President of Sales at CheckFree Corporation where he played a key role in growing revenues from $25 million to over $250 million leading to a successful IPO in 1996. Prior to CheckFree Jim held various sales positions at EMC, XL/Datacomp and Software 2000.
Jim received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Northeastern University in 1987. He is currently a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio and past boards include BankFirst National (NASDAQ:BFOH), edocs, Virtusa (Nasdaq:VRTU), Covergence, and County Savings Bank.
When he's not helping startups with disruptive business models, Jim shepherds a flock of five children and has been known to leap tall buildings in a single bound. True story. He is an avid golfer, loves to fish, work out, play hoops and above all is a capitalist, which is why we love him so.
Travis Connors, Egan-Managed Capital
You can always find Travis via his location-aware twitter account, but don’t be fooled when it says he’s skiing or surfing, he’s always keeping one eye on the latest in technology ventures. Travis joins the Currensee board from Egan-Managed Capital, where he’s a partner with more than fourteen years of investing and financing experience with technology companies at all stages of growth.
As a partner, Travis serves on the Board of Directors of Envista Software, Owner IQ and Pyxis Mobile and uTest. He also spends his time evaluating new business opportunities. Travis previously served on the Board of Directors of AllVertical, Groove Mobile (acquired by LiveWire Mobile), CenterStone Software (acquired by Manhattan Software) and WebEvent (acquired by peoplecube), and worked closely with IntelliVid (acquired by Tyco International).
Prior to joining Egan-Managed Capital, Travis was an associate in Merrill Lynch's technology investment banking group. At Merrill Lynch, Travis was involved with both public and private financings as well as M&A activities within several sub-sectors of the technology industry.
Previously, he headed the Silicon Valley office of Spears, Benzak, Salomon, & Farrell (SBSF), an investment management firm based in New York. At SBSF, Travis focused on the firm's technology investment policy and was responsible for the analysis, recommendation and management of the firm's portfolio of public technology companies. Travis is a graduate of Connecticut College with a BA in Economics and earned his MBA from the Columbia Graduate School of Business.
Besides keeping his two little girls entertained, Travis enjoys tinkering with technology that makes people passionate, from his Land Rover Series 2a to the latest in Apple gear.
Jim Ginsburg, Vernon & Park Capital
Taking financial risk has been part of Jim’s life. Jim enjoyed getting a steady paycheck in the early 80’s as a clerk on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Unfortunately, the paycheck only covered gas, junk food and a share of the rent on an undesirable studio apartment in Chicago.
Jim then spent 20 years taking risk as a trader on the floor of CME. He successfully traded currency, agricultural and equity products. In 2001, he founded Vernon & Park Capital and serves as the Managing Partner. Vernon & Park is an investment firm focused on companies involved in the financial markets. Jim is or has been a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, New York Stock Exchange, New York Board of Trade, New York Mercantile Exchange, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, and Pacific Exchange. He served as an independent director of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange and serves as a board observer for a number of Vernon & Park portfolio companies.
To deal with the lack of a steady paycheck throughout his career, Jim reminds himself of a line from Warren Buffet: “I’d rather make a rocky 15% than a steady 10%.” As a result of his activities, Jim now has better living quarters and eats better -- though he still has a weakness for deep-dish Chicago-style pizza.
When not working, Jim likes to run, read, ride a Triumph motorcycle and watch the Chicago Blackhawks, preferably live! He also has a passion for camping and hiking, especially with his three kids.
